Optical networks are ideally suited for high-speed, high-bandwidth network communications because they are capable of carrying the highest bandwidth amongst various forms of currently available network communications technologies. Optical networks are often used to form the backbone of communication methodologies, such as the Internet. Optical regenerators are important building elements of a modern optical network. Regeneration is done because the links between communicating elements (or nodes) in an optical network may be too long for optical signals to travel from one element to another. In this case, the signal can become so degraded that it may not be reliably decoded.
Optical Signal-to-Noise Ratio (OSNR) is a common metric used to determine whether a signal can be decoded reliably. The lower the level of OSNR, the less likely it is that a signal can be decoded correctly. Regenerators help to improve (increase) OSNR, thereby improving the reliability of communication.
Regenerators are expensive devices. They require equipment to be installed, serviced, and maintained at each physical regeneration location. Such locations can be geographically distant from one another, difficult to access, and often necessitate paying a lease to use the site. Therefore, it is in the network provider's interest to minimize the use of optical regeneration.